Method of guiding a thin flexible web strip which is at least partially metallic

ABSTRACT

A method of guiding a thin flexible web strip which is at least partially metallic and has opposite curled edge portions, comprising receiving and running the web strip within and through a guide having two uniformly curvilinear guide surfaces extending generally upwardly from a common base and facing one another and providing intermediate their height allochiral bights spaced apart slightly less than the width of the web strip between opposite edges of the web strip, engaging the curled edge portions of the web strip in lateral alignment within the bights and thereby guiding the web strip as it runs through the guide, and as the strip runs through the guide, maintaining the curled edge portions in the bights and thereby maintaining the web strip below upwardly extending portions of the surfaces and freely spaced above the base and above downwardly extending portions of the surfaces. The guide may have the guide surfaces fixed or rotary.

United States Patent [191 Mueller Dec. 17, 1974 METHOD OF GUIDING A THINFLEXIBLE WEB STRIP WHICH IS AT LEAST PARTIALLY METALLIC [75] Inventor:Pierre Mueller, Preverenges,

Switzerland [73] Assignee: .J. Bobst & Fils S.A., Prilly,

Switzerland [22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 326,686

Related US. Application Data 63] Continuation of Ser. No. 127,178, March23, 1971.

[52] US. Cl 226/3, 226/196, 226/199, 242/76 [51] Int. Cl B65h 23/04 [58]Field of Search 226/196, 199, 88, 91, l, 226/3; 242/76; 271/59; 270/93[561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,297,525 9/1942 Anheuser242/76 2,540,844 2/1951 Strauss 270/93 2,763,364 9/1956 Matheny 214/3383,072,309 l./l963 Hill 226/196 5/1964 Myer 198/233 3,421,675 l/l969Brown 226/196 Primary ExaminerRichard A. Schacher Attorney, Agent, orFirm,Hill, Gross, Simpson, Van Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson 57ABSTRACT web strip between opposite edges of the web strip, en-

gaging the curled edge portions of the web strip in lateral alignmentwithin the bights and thereby-guiding the web strip as-it runs throughthe guide, and as the strip runs through the guide, maintaining thecurled edge portions in the bights and thereby maintaining the web stripbelow upwardly extending portions of the surfaces and freely spacedabove the base and above downwardly extending portions of the surfaces.The guide may have the guide surfaces fixed or rotary.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PAIENTELBEB 1mm 3,854,642

INVENTOR.

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METHOD OF GUIDING A THIN FLEXIBLE WEB STRIP WHICH IS AT LEAST PARTIALLYMETALLIC This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 127,178 filedMar.23, 1971.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention generally relates to a methodof guiding a thin flexible wet strip and more particularly concerns amethod of guiding thin flexible webs such as metal or metalized strips.Although the contemplated strips may only be about 0.02 mm. thick, theyare nevertheless relatively rigid and strong though flexible.

The lateral guidance of such thin belts or strips has posed a largenumber of problems in the prior art which are not satisfactorilyresolved. Thus, grooves of a distance slightly greater than the width ofthe strip or belt allow lateral movement which is liable to producetears, uneven edge wear'and may even cause folding of the thin web.Where grooves having generally circular configurations have beenprovided, it has been found that the thin strips or belts tend to twistand jump out of the guide causing considerable problems because of theirextreme sharpness. Where the grooves have been closedor haveintermittent closure strips it has been found that the initial threadingof the grooves is difficult and time consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The disadvantages of the prior art are overcomeby the method of the present invention which comprises receiving andrunning the web strip withinand through a guide having two oppositeguide surfaces adapted to receive a metal thin flexible web striptherebetween. The guide surfaces have a curvature such that they encloseone of the edges of the strip and the curved surfaces define a throatspaced a distance slightly less than the width of the strip to beguided. The guide surfaces are generally symmetrical in relation to eachother about a center line therebetween. The curved guidance surface maybe of a semi-circular section having a radius of curvature less thanhalf the width of the web or strip. While the guide means may take theform of a part of its circumference. Each of the wheels has an axlewhich extends beyond the wheel and' may be received in a hole in acommon support member. The support member may have a plurality of holesto allow positioning of the wheel-like guide means at various distancesfrom each other. The axles of the guide members may be fixed in theholes through the use of thumb screws or other suitable securing meansso that they may be locked in position with respect to one another.Where the guide members are rotatably mounted I have found that the wearin the grooves may be substantially reduced. The material from which thegroove surfaces are fashioned should be of a hardness such that unduewear is avoided. This will depend upon the particular material of thestrip or web.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other objects, features and advantagesof the invention will be best understood from the following detaileddescription thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational cross section of the first embodiment of alateral guide means according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 illustrates on a smaller scale an elevational view of a secondembodiment of a guiding device according to the invention herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of a lateralguide means for practicing the method according to theinven tion may beseen in FIG. 1 to. comprise a body member 1 having a groove-like channelpassage 2 adapted to receive and laterally guide a very thin strip orweb 3. In this case the guide means'is a groove of a short length alongthe length of the strip or web 3. The groove-like guide means 2 hasopposite guidance surfaces 4 and 5 which extend generally upwardly inspaced apart relation from a common base therebetween and'face towardone another and have such a curvature that they each provideintermediate their height respective bights which are allochiral to eachother and engage an edge portion 3',3" respectively of the belt 3 whenit is positioned in the passage. The curved surfaces 4,5 define a throathaving a width slightly less than the width of the web or strip to beguided with the result that the very outer edges of the web portions maybe slightly thickened or, as shown, are turned up very slightly by theengagement with the bights of the surfaces as the web or strip runslongitudinally between the bights, the remainder of the surfaces 4 and 5extending to a substantial distance above and below the bights and thusabove and below the web or strip as the latter progresses through theguide means. The guidance surfaces 4,5 may be of a generally symmetricalconfiguration with respect to each other about a centerline"therebetween. In an advantageous construction of mine these guidancesurfaces may be semi-circular and have a radius of curvature less thanhalf of the width of the strip 3 so that the groove 2 has a horizontalaxis of greater length than its vertical axis.

To provide supplemental support for the web or strip 3 to maintain itapproximately at the height of the maximum throat width, I have foundthat roller supports,-

not shown, are satisfactory. Experience has shown that both curvedguidance surfaces 4 and 5 assure an excelmeans shown in elevational viewin FIG. 2. lnthis second embodiment a pair of opposite guide surfaces 6and 7 are similarly curved and serve to laterally limit the passageway 9receiving a web or strip 10 therein. Here the guiding surfaces 6 and 7are formed by peripheral grooves 11 and 12 in spaced wheels or guides 13and l4'respectively. The wheels or guides 13,14 are mounted at apredetermined distance from each other on a common support 15 whichsupport 15 includes a large number of holes as illustrated at 16 through19 for example.

Each of the wheel or guide members 13,14 has an axially directed spindleor screw 20,21 respectively extending therethrough so as to permitmounting of the wheels or guides 13,14 on the common bar support 15.

The guides or spindles 20,21 may threadedly engage the holes 16,19respectively so as to lock the wheels or guides in place. In thealternative, the wheels or guides 13,14 may be allowed to rotate as thestrip or web passes therethrough so that the wear is distributed aboutthe periphery of the groove. In this manner when any wear develops thewheels, 13,14 may be quickly and simply replaced. With the latterembodiment any width strip 10 may be accommodated by simply drillingfurther holes in the common support bar 15. It is also possible to mountthe wheels or guides in a rail in a longitudinal groove of a support sothat it is possible to adjust it to any width of the band or web strip10.

Many changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention andit is to be understood that I wish to include within the patentwarranted hereon, all such changes and modifications as may reasonablyand properly be included within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of guiding a thin flexible web strip which is at leastpartially metallic, said web strip having opposite curled edge portions,comprising:

receiving and running the web strip within and through a guide havingtwo uniformly curvilinear guide surfaces extending generally upwardlyfrom a common base and facing one another and provid ing intermediatetheir height allochiral bights spaced apart slightly less than the widthof the web strip between opposite edges of the web strip;

engaging said curled edge portions of the web strip in lateral alignmentwithin said bights and thereby guiding the web strip as it runs throughthe guide;

and as the strip runs through the guide maintaining the curled edgeportions in said bights and thereby maintaining said web strip belowupwardly extending portions of said surfaces and freely spaced abovesaid base and above downwardly extending portions of said surfaces.

2. A method according to claim 1, including maintaining said web in aposition wherein the curled edge portions are at substantially thecurvilinear center of said guide surfaces providing said bights.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said guide surfaces have aradius of curvature less than one-half the width of the web, andmaintaining said web with the curled edge portions in engagement withsubstantially the center of curvature of said surfaces providing saidbights.

4. A method according to claim 1, including longitudinally moving saidweb through said channel, and maintaining said guide surfaces inrelatively fixed positions.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said guide surfaces are onrespective rotatably mounted members and extend respectively about theperimeters of said members, running said web longitudinally between saidsurfaces, and rotating said members with said surfaces turning on saidedge portions.

6. A method according to claim 1, including relatively adjusting thespacing between said surfaces to accommodate webs of different widths.

1. A method of guiding a thin flexible web strip which is at leastpartially metallic, said web strip having opposite curled edge portions,comprising: receiving and running the web strip within and through aguide having two uniformly curvilinear guide surfaces extendinggenerally upwardly from a common base and facing one another andproviding intermediate their height allochiral bights spaced apartslightly less than the width of the web strip between opposite edges ofthe web strip; engaging said curled edge portions of the web strip inlateral alignment within said bights and thereby guiding the web stripas it runs through the guide; and as the strip runs through the guidemaintaining the curled edge portions in said bights and therebymaintaining said web strip below upwardly extending portions of saidsurfaces and freely spaced above said base and above downwardlyextending portions of said surfaces.
 2. A method according to claim 1,including maintaining said web in a position wherein the curled edgeportions are at substantially the curvilinear center of said guidesurfaces providing said bights.
 3. A method according to claim 1,wherein said guide surfaces have a radius of curvature less thanone-half the width of the web, and maintaining said web with the curlededge portions in engagement with substantially the center of curvatureof said surfaces providing said bights.
 4. A method according to claim1, including longitudinally moving said web through said channel, andmaintaining said guide surfaces in relatively fixed positions.
 5. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein said guide surfaces are onrespective rotatably mounted members and extend respectively about theperimeters of said members, running said web longitudinally between saidsurfaces, and rotating said members with said surfaces turning on saidedge portions.
 6. A method according to claim 1, including relativelyadjusting the spacing between said surfaces to accommodate webs ofdifferent widths.